Those of you with apprentices

[GasmanxxxR1]

I think no apprentice should be left on their own on a job, when passed level 2 and they are an improver then maybe, for one thing its not what the custards are paying for

 

[fogarty]

Just a few years ago a new starter couldn't get a plumbing job without donating a kidney ,now it's like their doing you a favour. Tell him he can have a *** when you do especially if you don't smoke. If he's not up when you call in the morning ,drive on and don't pay him. With regard to phone I tell my wife not to ring unless someone's died.

 

[mfgs]

Just an update. I went to pick him up this morning ready to have a chat with him about how he is really progressing and not how he thinks he is. Sat outside his house for 8 mins after texting him telling him I was outside ( I also told him yesterday what time I would be picking him up), so I drove off to the job. I got a text 5 minutes later asking where I was haha. My reply was I am at work where you should be, I waited for you and you never showed. I will give him a chance tomorrow to explain himself, but the writing could be on the wall for him. I could not make it any easier for him to get to work picking him up at his front door every day, if you cant be ready for the time I say then you aren't worth me spending any time on.

 

[Dotty]

Tell him you'll lift him at ridiculous o'clock........

 

[Masood]

Just an update. I went to pick him up this morning ready to have a chat with him about how he is really progressing and not how he thinks he is. Sat outside his house for 8 mins after texting him telling him I was outside ( I also told him yesterday what time I would be picking him up), so I drove off to the job. I got a text 5 minutes later asking where I was haha. My reply was I am at work where you should be, I waited for you and you never showed. I will give him a chance tomorrow to explain himself, but the writing could be on the wall for him. I could not make it any easier for him to get to work picking him up at his front door every day, if you cant be ready for the time I say then you aren't worth me spending any time on.

Unbelievable. My local college has had to turn down so many candidates because they couldn't get an apprenticeship, and those who have one don't value it! Sad...

 

[chris watkins]

I blame the parents don't you.

 

[GasmanxxxR1]

I blame the parents don't you.

*nods head knowingly*

 

[Ermintrude]

Foot in his arris and then if improvement doesn't last p45. End of

 

[Destroyer2813]

I blame the parents don't you.

To a degree but you teach em all the manners and good intentions under the sun but when they go to school and pick up other kids bad habits some of em forget everything you've taught them and you have to start all.over again it seems sometimes

 

[Dotty]

To a degree but you teach em all the manners and good intentions under the sun but when they go to school and pick up other kids bad habits some of em forget everything you've taught them and you have to start all.over again it seems sometimes

that's no real excuse. I know for a fact we all picked up bad habits at one stage or another as kids, and they were rapidly knocked out of us.

The fault lies with the namby pamby hand wringing apologist society we're in now and the lazy fat arsed baby machines waiting for their five minutes on Jeremy Kyle. The lazy feckless fat spotty pizza faced scuzz ball who believes society should raise their kids!

What is needed is a return to the values of yesteryear when the village bobby would cuff your ear then your mum and dad cuff your other ear when you told them what had happened.

 

[cr0ft]

So what you are saying cr0ft is that their apprenticeship last for just one year then?

I don't think I've said that anywhere at all, I think you've said I've said that 🙂

I don't think paying a very capable apprentice £7.50 per hour in year 2 is exploitation to be honest, neither do I feel sending the same capable apprentice out to do small jobs within his capabilities on his own is. I feel that's building his confidence and (yes, shocking I know) helping the business to grow too which is surely what taking on staff is about.

Would I leave him doing a central heating install? No, of course not, because he's not ready for it. At the moment he helps me out for 2 days a week doing the small jobs knowing I am always on the end of the phone if he is unsure about anything. 2 days a week he works with me on larger projects where I continue to spend time teaching him, answering questions etc. 1 day a week at college as per every other apprentice. Coming up to his mid 20s he should of course have more responsibility in keeping with his life experience and the higher wage he gets paid.

Now would I let my 17 year old apprentice go out on his own next year? Not a chance. He will be with me all the way through his apprenticeship. It's a question of not setting people up to fail. I learned far more by going out on my own and doing small jobs than I ever did watching anyone else.

It's foolish to make blanket statements like 'exploitation' and other things as each apprentice needs to be assessed on a case by case basis. There are many 'fully qualified' plumbers I've seen who I would not have working in my house again, I would happily have this guy working in it.

There would be no point in me sending staff out on jobs before they are ready as it would dent his confidence and harm my reputation.

You can't tell me that no firm sends apprentices out on jobs on their own, it happens regularly around here. No harm in it at all when they are ready and capable in my opinion.

 

[cr0ft]

I think no apprentice should be left on their own on a job, when passed level 2 and they are an improver then maybe, for one thing its not what the custards are paying for

This is the great thing about this forum, we can always agree to disagree. I think the customer is paying to have a job done by someone who knows what they are doing. I place very little emphasis on bits of paper to be honest, much more on what someone can do properly and to a high standard.

I think most customers feel the same, it's just not something that's important to them. No one in 6 years has asked me if I am qualified (or to prove it) before they let me work in their home. I do not have an NVQ to my name, should I not be working in someone's home then?

 

[WaterTight]

my current apprentice is also my girlfriend. anyone else been in that situation?

 

[Millsy 82]

my current apprentice is also my girlfriend. anyone else been in that situation?

You must be mad! I go to work to get away from mine! It's the only time I can drink tea and smoke in peace. Lol.

 

[Rickster123]

my current apprentice is also my girlfriend. anyone else been in that situation?

Takes all the fun out of top heavy customers!

 

[newcastle phill]

my current apprentice is also my girlfriend. anyone else been in that situation?

What......with your girlfriend ????? 🙂

 

[GasmanxxxR1]

This is the great thing about this forum, we can always agree to disagree. I think the customer is paying to have a job done by someone who knows what they are doing. I place very little emphasis on bits of paper to be honest, much more on what someone can do properly and to a high standard.

I think most customers feel the same, it's just not something that's important to them. No one in 6 years has asked me if I am qualified (or to prove it) before they let me work in their home. I do not have an NVQ to my name, should I not be working in someone's home then?

Thats not what I said Croft, is it.

 

[mfgs]

Well he was actually ready this morning so he came to work. We had a chat first thing before we started on site and he was told that he is certainly not due a pay rise and wont be for some time, which he seemed quite shocked about despite me making this clear when taking him on in the first place. It was also pointed out the areas in which he needs to improve. All in all I think he no longer thinks he is at the standard he seemed to believe. He had a bit of a sulk in the morning and didn't really speak much, but perked up this afternoon. I am looking forward to hopefully seeing a change in his attitude to prove himself.

 

[rpm]

Give the donkey a little nibble on a carrot when he does do or say something right just to show your not a mean old git, bit like training a dog if you see what I mean.

 

[mfgs]

Give the donkey a little nibble on a carrot when he does do or say something right just to show your not a mean old git, bit like training a dog if you see what I mean.

I'm not mean and I'm certainly not old haha. Ever since he has started with me, if he has been doing well I have taken him down the café for lunch etc, little things like that.